A thought for Halloween: Would you buy a house that has a reputation of being haunted? What about a place that was the scene of a violent crime, or was previously owned by a notorious individual?

For some prospective buyers, such things may be deal-breakers. For others, they wouldn’t matter at all. Who knows, there might even be some buyers out there who would consider an “interesting” history a selling feature.

The fact that we all bring our own tastes and preferences into buying a home holds true not only for the physical attributes of a property, but also for those attributes that are considered “psychological stigma.”

In real estate, a psychological stigma is a non-physical attribute of a property that may cause a negative emotional response in a prospective buyer. Because stigmatizing issues are based on perception or individual sensitivities, they vary from one person to the next. Maybe you’re fine with being the new owner of a former brothel, but others won’t be.

It’s important to distinguish that some psychological stigma may impact the value of a property because it stems from a valid concern or something that most people would find spooky. Other stigmas are more individual in nature.

Buyers are ultimately responsible to satisfy themselves that a property is suitable for their purposes, so don’t assume that the seller or their representative understands or cares what matters to you.

The key to avoid purchasing a property with a psychological stigma is to talk to your real estate agent about all of your criteria for a home, including physical attributes and psychological issues, so they can ask the right questions and conduct the appropriate research.

Keep in mind the seller will only know so much or not actually care about the property’s potential stigmas. Depending on the age of the house and how long the seller has owned it or their own sensitivities to stigmatizing issues, they may not know about the ghosts in the attic or other unique information about the property, for that matter.

It’s important to know that while sellers are required by law to disclose latent physical defects that are known to them, there is no legal precedent in Ontario that requires disclose of the existence of a so-called stigmas to buyers.

All registered real estate professionals, however, are obligated to act with fairness, honesty and integrity when dealing with others in real estate transactions. If the seller’s representative is asked about the existence of a specific stigma then, consistent with their client’s instructions, they must either provide the information, or refuse to answer and suggest that the buyer find out for themselves.

If you’re concerned about specific types of stigmas, the best advice is to conduct your own investigation before submitting an offer. Consider a simple Internet search of the address or speaking with neighbours about the property and the neighbourhood.

Joseph Richer is Registrar of the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO). He oversees and enforces all rules governing real estate professionals in Ontario. Email questions to askjoe@reco.on.ca . Find more tips at reco.on.ca, follow on Twitter @RECOhelps or on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/RECOhelps .